Coin - 1/4 Dollar, Penang, 1788

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Summary:: 1/4 Dollar, Issued by Pulau Pinang, Penang, Prince of Wales Island, Malaysia, 1788
Minted by Calcutta Mint, India
Statement Of Significance:: Production of the three denominations of 1788 dated silver coins for Penang probably began in late December 1787 at which time the Calcutta mint master wrote to Captain Light. Light found the 1/10th dollar denomination most useful and requested an additional 5000 rupees worth of these coins. He felt that the initial supply of 1/4 and 1/2 dollar coins was greater than needed. Some early cataloguers may have been misled and recorded the denominations of the three coins as rupee, 1/2 rupee and 1/4 rupee whereas the correct denominations are 1/2 dollar, 1/4 dollar and 1/10 dollar. Pridmore suggests that this denomination (1/4 dollar) never saw much use on the island, although this example shows wear, particularly on the reverse.
Acquisition Information:: Transfer from National Gallery of Victoria (NGV), 1976

Tagged with:	british empire coins, british commonwealth and empire coins
Themes this item is part of:	Calcutta Mint, Medal & Coin Makers, Kolkata, India, 1757-1952, Numismatics & Philately Collection
Primary Classification:	COINS
Secondary Classification:	Malaysia - Penang
Tertiary Classification:	working strikes
DateEra:	1788 AD
Denomination:	1/4 Dollar
Obverse Description:	United East india Company's bale mark; below 1788
Reverse Description:	In Arabic script "Jezirah Perrinsa ab Wallis" (Prince of Wales Island)
Edge Description:	Plain
Shape:	Round
Material:	Silver
Issued By:	East India Company, Penang, Penang (Malaysia), 1788
Mint:	Calcutta (Mint), India, 1788
References:	KM#6.2 (Malay Peninsula, Penang) Pridmore 10 Pridmore, Fred. 1955. Coins and Coinages of the Straits Settlements and British Malaya 1786 to 1951, p. 14-15
Bibliography:	[Book], Mr Colin Bruce - Krause Publications, Standard Catalogue of World Coins 1701 - 1800, Krause Publications, Iola, 2007 [Book], Major Fred Pridmore, Coins and Coinages of the Straits Settlements and British Malaya 1786 to 1951, Government Printing Office, Singapore, Singapore, 1955